“Many people look forward to the new year for a new start on old habits.”
“A New Year’s resolution is something that goes in one year and out the other.”
I’m not big on New Year Resolutions, but the turn of another year is a helpful prompt to ‘reflect’, celebrating and learning from the past, to move forward with gratitude and determination to make the most of another year of God’s Grace.
Ancient Greek philosopher Socrates was convinced that ‘The unexamined life is not worth living!”
I wouldn’t go so far as to say that, but surely the unexamined life (one that does not make regular time to reflect) is not lived as wisely and well as it could be with more thoughtfulness.
‘One day at a time sweet Jesus’ is the pace we’re to live and 6 + 1 is the sum for every week, assuring us of a day off routine for rest, reflection and recovering sight of Who’s really ‘in charge’ (God).
But what can stop us reflecting so intensely that, like Narcissus, we drown in self-absorption?
Narcissus (Greek mythology) fell in love with his own reflection in a pool, not realizing it was only an image. Fixated with the beauty of his reflection, Narcissus drowned in himself.
What can save us from such self-centredness and help us reflect more objectively to recognise both beauty and blemish? Seeing a tiny louse (like a flea) on a Lady’s Bonnet at church, with ‘exocet wit’ Robert Burns wrote:
“O wad some Pow’r the giftie gie us
To see oursels as ithers see us!
It wad frae mony a blunder free us,
An’ foolish notion:
What airs in dress an’ gait wad lea’e us,
An’ ev’n devotion!”
Regularly meeting up with one or two honest friends, whose opinion we value and trust, can be sobering and helpful.
I meet monthly with a retired minister, who allows me to rabbit on, questions me and helps put my life and living under the microscope. Perhaps there’s someone you could seek out to help you in this way?
“God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference.”
God’s best to and through you in 2025!
